Makes 3 cups
While we were in the groove of rethinking tools to create better classic sauces and dips, we found that a blender makes the best salsa. That’s because it does indeed extract the juice from vegetables without chopping them into a puree. And it saves you time at the cutting board! This salsa will be wetter than a sauce or a dip, so it will nicely coat a tortilla chip or Spanish omelet. But it will still have the crunchy texture of veggies and herbs. It’s also got a little tequila in the mix, perhaps a surprise ingredient. That little bit of alcohol will bring the flavors of the natural sugars in the vegetables more to the fore, softening some of their rough edges. Of course, you can substitute water for a spikier (and booze-free) flavor.
4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
3 tablespoons tequila (or water)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 small jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
¼ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup frozen chopped onion, thawed and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1. Position the oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element; heat the broiler.
2. Lay the tomatillos on a lipped baking sheet. Broil, tossing once or twice, until blistered and evenly blackened, about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape the tomatillos and any juice on the baking sheet into a large blender. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. In this order, add the tequila, vinegar, chile, cilantro, onion, sugar, and salt to the blender. Cover and blend until the mixture becomes a chunky salsa. If your blender has a pulse function, use it to avoid over-blending. Serve at once or store in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days.